Side 1 of a mixtape mockery, focusing on the 1990s and today in particular, 1992. It's also Dubhed post number 1,400, whatever that's worth.
1992 was a weird year in that, after a few years working and travelling, I decided to go back to college. I originally went to college straight from school, had a really crap time, dropped out half way through and vowed 'never again'. How fickle we human beings are, eh?
It was slightly better the second time around, although my outsider status was maintained by being older than the majority of my fellows, though I would hesitate to describe myself as a 'mature student'. Mature I most definitely was not.
I wasn't even the oldest student there. That dubious honour was reserved for a forty-something woman in my English Literature class who frequently expressed her frustration at the juvenile antics of her peers.
I wouldn't say that I had the time of my life, but I enjoyed the classes, liked most of the people, fell in love with a girl, and got to make some horrendous fashion choices on a daily basis. Oh, and I had a part-time job so that I could afford to run a car and have a social life. Critical, considering that I was back home living with my parents out in the sticks.
Music-wise, I was out of sync with my contemporaries. The college jukebox was great, but invariably had Nirvana, Soundgarden or Pearl effing Jam on constant rotation. Whenever I got the opportunity, I would stick on Don't Fight It, Feel It by Primal Scream, the 7 minute Andrew Weatherall Scat Mix on the B-side, naturally, Denise Johnson's voice resounding around the room to general indifference. Philistines!
Today's eclectic selection reflects the times and my tastes. I was still leaning heavily into dance music (literally, on some club nights when I'd been at it for hours without a break) but I was still knocked for six by a new indie tune. I was just as inclined to listen to Pete Tong's Essential Selection as I was John Peel or Annie Nightingale's Request Show.
Opening song, the Kate Bush-sampling Something Good by Utah Saints is the only one from 1992's Top 40 best-selling UK singles, scraping in at #36.
Another sacrilegious sample carries Messiah's Temple Of Dreams, it's shameless lift of This Mortal Coil's cover of Song To The Siren giving Elizabeth Fraser an unexpected (and uncredited) #20 hit in June 1992.
Less contentious is Orbital's use of Kirsty Hawkshaw's la la la's from Opus III's It's A Fine Day on the sublime Halcyon. The dictionary definition "denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful" is in keeping with the tone of the tune. However, the song is dedicated to Phil and Paul Hartnoll's mother, who was addicted to the tranquilliser Halcion (Triazolam) for many years.
A couple of songs were technically contenders for the previous year. Lithium first appeared on Nirvana's gargantuan album Nevermind in 1991, but wasn't released as a single until the following July.
Hit
by The Sugarcubes was officially on sale as a single on 30th December
1991, though it's prophetic (optimistic?) title was fulfilled a couple
of weeks later, in January 1992.
Whilst you are thankfully spared big hitters (is that a typo?) by Whitney Houston, Boyz II Men, Jimmy Nail, Wet Wet Wet and Billy Ray Cyrus, a ridiculously big shortlist means that R.E.M., Beastie Boys, PJ Harvey, Suede and Neneh Cherry also failed to make the final dozen.
I had to find a place for Julian Cope, though. The Arch Drude released his magnum opus Jehovahkill in 1992, and lead/sole single Fear Loves This Place is as good a single as Julian's released at any point in his career.
1992's MAW (Mandatory Andrew Weatherall) is Papua New Guinea by The Future Sound Of London, a ground breaking song in it's own right, transformed into an 11-minute aural odyssey by Mr. W. As with Finitribe last week, even the 3-minute edit featured here (found on the B-side of the 7" single) is epic.
Representing indie discos were a couple of absolute classics, the minute they burst onto the airwaves. Weirdo by The Charlatans, with it's juddering intro that sounded like the noise my car made, trying to get it started on a cold morning, remains one of my favourites by Tim and the band.
As for The Auteurs, what better song than Showgirl as a statement of intent. How was this not a huge hit in 1992?!
Rounding things up, The Age Of Love released their eponymous single multiple times though it was another five years before it became a UK hit. 1992 however saw the debut of the superb remixes by Jam & Spoon, which for me remain the definitive versions of the song.
Bassheads burned briefly but brightly, and I thought they were great. A clutch of singles, an album and a handful of remixes and that was it. Back To The Old School is itself now old school, yet still gets the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. And when the beat kicks in... perfection.
More Nineties nonsense tomorrow. Who will win? Who will lose? And which Weatherall shall I choose?
1) Something Good (7-Inch): Utah Saints ft. Doctor Douglas
2) Weirdo (Album Version By Flood): The Charlatans
3) Hit (Album Version): The Sugarcubes
4) Showgirl (Single Version): The Auteurs
5) Back To The Old School (Edit): Bassheads
6) Temple Of Dreams (U.S. Edit By Messiah & Ralph P. Ruppert): Messiah
7) Halcyon (Edit): Orbital
8) Papua New Guinea (Andrew Weatherall Mix) (7" Edit): The Future Sound Of London
9) The Age Of Love (Jam & Spoon Radio Edit): The Age Of Love
10) Lithium (Album Version): Nirvana
11) Fear Loves This Place (Album Version): Julian Cope
12) Hallelujah (Leftfield Edit): Inner City
19th January 1992: Stick Around For Joy (#17): 3
19th March 1992: Weirdo EP (#19): 2
5th April 1992: Hallelujah '92 EP (#22): 12
24th May 1992: Papua New Guinea EP (#22): 8
31st May 1992: Back To The Old School EP (#12): 5
21st June 1992: Something Good EP (#4): 1
28th June 1992: Temple Of Dreams EP (#20): 6
26th July 1992: Nevermind (#11): 10
27th July 1992: The Age Of Love EP (# n/a): 9
20th September 1992: Radiccio EP (#37): 718th October 1992: Jehovahkill (#42): 11
November 1992: Showgirl EP (# n/a): 4
Side One (46:09) (GD) (M) 
